Page 105

Twenty minutes later, I was settled in one of the rocking chairs on the front porch, a blanket draped over my legs despite the warm afternoon. Kaylan stood sentinel beside me, his posture deceptively relaxed though I could sense his vigilance. Rhys leaned against the porch railing, his silver eyes watchful. Ben stood to one side.

A sleek BMW pulled up to the bottom of the steps, and my jaw dropped. Where in the hell had Shane gotten the cash for that? My heart did an uncomfortable flip when he emerged. My brother looked exactly the same—the usual mix of cruelty and swagger.

"Danny-boy!" he called, spreading his arms wide as if expecting a hug. "What's with the royal treatment? I had to go through more security than the White House just to see my little brother."

"The forestry commission has protocols," I replied evenly, not rising to greet him. "What are you doing here, Shane?"

His smile faltered slightly at my cool tone. "Can't a guy visit his brother without the third degree? Mom's worried about you."

"Mom knows I'm fine. We text daily."

"Yeah, but texts aren't the same as seeing you in person, so she sent me." Shane took a step toward the porch, but Kaylan shifted subtly, blocking his path. Shane's eyes flickered to him, then back to me. "New boyfriend? What happened to the mountain man?"

"This is Kaylan, a friend," I said, ignoring the boyfriend comment. "And Bayer is at a meeting."

Shane's gaze swept over the property, taking in the pack grounds, the parked vehicles, the distant figures moving between buildings. "Some place you've got here. Didn't realize teaching assistants made enough for mountain retreats."

"I'm staying with Emery," I said carefully. "What do you want, Shane? You didn't drive all this way for small talk."

His expression sharpened, the facade of brotherly concern slipping. "Fine. Let's cut to the chase. Mom's worried, I'm worried, and you're holed up in some cult compound in the mountains with a guy you barely know. And it's Monday. You should be at work."

"Because you'd know all about that," I muttered.

He smirked. "Think I'd better get the sheriff down here. Just to do a wellness check, you understand."

“You’ve never worried about me a day in your entire life,” I said, feeling the truth like pulling off a shroud. I’d given so many excuses for Shane, but he was only out for himself.

Shane's eyes narrowed at my blunt assessment. "That's harsh, Danny. We're family."

"Family doesn't threaten to out people for money," I shot back, watching his face carefully. "Family doesn't steal from their own mother's purse or forge Dad's signature on checks."

"Ancient history." Shane waved dismissively, but I caught the flicker of something calculating in his expression. "I'm here because I care about you."

Rhys straightened from his casual lean against the railing, his silver eyes fixed intently on my brother. When he caught my gaze, he gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head. Lying. Not that I needed it. I knew he was.

"What do you really want?" I pressed.

Shane's mask slipped entirely, replaced by the cold opportunism I remembered from childhood. "Fine. You want honesty? I want to know what kind of operation you're running here. This place is crawling with security, there are more expensive cars in that parking area than at a country club, and you" —he gestured at me— "are living like some kind of pampered prince."

I eyed his car. “You don’t seem to be doing too badly yourself.”

He scoffed. “That’s from honest work, not spreading my—"

Before Shane could finish his crude implication, Kaylan moved. One moment he was beside me, the next he had Shane pinned against his fancy BMW, one hand at my brother's throat. The movement was so fluid, so lightning-fast, that I barely registered it happening.

"You will not speak to him that way," Kaylan said, his voice deadly quiet. "Not here. Not ever."

Shane's eyes bulged, his face rapidly turning red as he clawed ineffectively at Kaylan's grip. "What the—" he gasped.

"Kaylan," I called, alarmed by the feral gleam in his eyes.

"He insulted you," Kaylan replied, not looking away from Shane.

Shane's eyes darted to me, confusion and fear warring in his expression.

"Let him go," I said firmly. "He's not worth it."

After a tense moment, Kaylan released his grip, stepping back but remaining between Shane and the porch. My brother doubled over, gasping for air and rubbing his throat.